Happy Twenty First!
by haikomori
Summary: It's never, ever, a good sign when you wake up and have to fling yourself to the toilet. Or when the lights are too bright. Or when your so-called friend thought it would be a good idea to bring a camera that night.


**Oh, where did this come from? I have no idea. I hope you'll enjoy the read as much as I enjoyed the write. Really-I giggled a lot when I wrote this. **

**Warnings? Irritability, annoying noises, loud mouths, slamming doors, overly bright lights, and a small hint of HopexLight. Tiny though. What else, coming from me? :D **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Light shined through the plain white curtains of the living room, rays of sunshine falling onto the couch and floor of the beige living room. It was silent in the small house; everything was still although a few things were knocked over, and the light was pleasantly warm. A table was knocked over near the dark brown couch, and papers littered the floor around the room, along with a few crushed, aluminum cans and discarded coats, shoes, a shirt, and a pair of red boxers. Two strawberry blondes were resting on the couch, huddled close to one another, their small frames rising slightly with each breath. The taller of the two women had her arm around the other, her cheeks tinted pink. The smaller one had her hands tucked near her chest and she smiled slightly.<p>

However, the most peculiar thing about the room were the bodies strewn along the floor.

The group of six were splayed on the carpet, giving out small snores and scratching their backs or sides every now and again. The tallest and loudest was a blond male, his muscular arms outstretched and across the floor. A snort escaped him and he blinked blue eyes open for a moment, only to scrunch them back up and turn around, burying his face in his arms.

Another was a dark-skinned male, muscular and large, but curled like a cat underneath the light, with his arms buried in the crook of his arm. Near him were two young men, one wearing a pair of lopsided pink goggles on top of his blond head, his nose twitching. The other had wild blue hair, sticking up in all directions from sleeping on the floor, and his arm was around the waist of the blond.

The other was a dark-haired young woman, her hair loose in a bun and her purple shirt hanging off her shoulder. She held a crushed can in one hand and the other was wrapped around another body. This one was a young male with platinum blond hair, the locks falling loosely in front of his eyes. His frame had since grown taller and a tad more muscular that when he was fourteen. His shirt was missing and his arm was thrown over his face. The light was creeping toward him and his clinging companion, but what woke him was a loud snort from one of the others.

Three things ran through Hope Estheim's mind when he shot up from the floor:

_I think I'm going to throw up. _

_Oh shit, what happened last night? _

_Where the hell's my shirt? _

Hope shook his head, shutting his eyes and pressing the palms of his hands to the lids, his stomach churning and clenching. He bit his lip as a small burp escaped him, and he scrunched his nose before his eyes shot open and he stumbled up, racing to the bathroom down the hall. He slammed the door shut behind him, sending a horrifying echo through the house, and fell in front of the porcelain bowl to puke his brains out.

The fourth thought?

…_Ugh…_

"Whoever did that…is going to die…" Lightning mumbled, slowly opening her eyes only to flinch when the light hit her. "And who the hell thought it was a good idea to sleep in the living room?" Lightning shook her head, pressing a hand to her forehead and mumbling under her breath. Serah was rousing from beside her, groaning and trying to push herself up.

"No," Lebreau moaned from the floor. "Just five more minutes…"

Lightning glared at her and pushed herself from the couch, wobbling slightly when she stood. She sucked in her breath and stilled, waiting for the wave of dizziness to pass before trying to walk again. She placed a hand on Serah's shoulder and shook her head when Serah tried to get up again.

"I'll go get some aspirin. Stay here." Serah nodded, smiling at her sister as she walked away before glancing at the floor.

"Snow," Serah whispered, poking her foot out to her husband's sleeping form. "Time to wake up."

"M'kay. Just…give me second." Serah rolled her eyes, nodding at Lebreau when the woman finally sat up. Lebreau shrugged, closing her eyes and letting out another moan. She lifted her hand, tilting her head at the can before dropping it to the floor and slowly dragging her knees across the carpet to Gadot, Yuj, and Maqui. She placed a hand on Gadot's shoulder, but stopped when she saw Maqui and Yuj curled with one another. A smile crept on her face and she turned back to Serah, pointing at the two of them.

"So cute!" Serah muttered, bringing her hands to her mouth. She winced when a ray of light hit her eyes, lifting her hand to shield herself. "But why is the light so bright?"

"They are so not going to live this one down. I need a camera, and quick!" Lebreau made to stand but had to stop and hold her hands out in front of her when the room started to spin. "Oh god, oh god, oh god-"

"Shut it, Lebreau," Yuj spat from the floor, glaring at her through clouded, drooping eyes. He looked down, jumping when he saw his arms were around Maqui before quickly pushing himself away and cursing under his breath. He pressed a hand to his forehead as it throbbed incessantly, the little pulses pounding her his fingers, and pushed himself up, flattening his hair and glaring at everyone as he passed. "I'll be in the bathroom."

Lebreau stuck her tongue out at him before groaning again and turning back to Maqui, jutting out her lower lip now that the scene was broken. She glanced at Serah, smiling at the woman when she tried to wake up her husband again. Lebreau shook her head and set her foot on Maqui, smirking a bit before rolling him up and leaning down. She pinched his nose ad waited, counting under her breath before Maqui started to squirm, his hands shooting up and grabbing her wrists. He gasped, eyes slowly focusing on her and narrowing into slits.

"Not…cool…" He groaned and turned away, but Lebreau just poked him in the ribs until he finally sat up, grumbling under his breath. Maqui glared at her before turning to Gadot and shaking the big man awake, just as Lightning came back in. She had a glass of water in one hand and a small bottle of pills in the other, turning toward Serah. Lightning hovered over Serah, ignoring Lebreau and Maqui's grasping hands, and handed her the glass, popping the bottle open and giving her some aspirin as well.

"Thanks sis-"

"Let me in the goddamn bathroom!"

"Ahhh….noooo. Shhhhhh," Maqui cried, clamping his hands over his ears. Lightning glared down the hall and stood, ignoring the moans that followed her when they saw she was taking the bottle of aspirin with her.

"No! Bring it back! You selfish bitch-"

"Lebreau, do you really want to go there?"

"But she took the medicine!"

Shaking her head as their voices followed her down the hall, Lightning stalked up to Yuj and grabbed his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. Yuj swallowed, eyes wide, but he pointed to the bathroom door. "I need to get in."

"And you'll wait!" came a voice from the other side. It was quickly followed by a retching sound and something splashing, and Lightning closed her eyes.

Yuj smirked, his eyes dancing. "Oh right! How was your twenty-first birthday, Hope?"

"Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die." The word kept coming from the other side, followed by flushing that sent throbs through both Yuj's and Lightning's heads. The door finally clicked and swung open, revealing a pale Hope as he wobbled out of the bathroom. He glared at Yuj, his green eyes surprisingly dark before he muttered, "Go die."

"Love you too!" Yuj said, rolling his eyes and pushing Hope aside, slamming the door. Hope's eyes popped open and he brought his hands to his temples, shaking his head and groaning.

"I am never-_ever_-drinking again. I can't even remember what happened last night," Hope whispered. He slowly looked up, his eyes lined with exhaustion. "Is that supposed to happen?"

"If someone's trying to get you as wasted as Snow wanted you, then yes." Lightning popped the bottle open again and handed Hope two small pills. Hope gave her a small smile and slammed the pills into his mouth, swallowing them dry. His throat burned and his eyes watered like crazy, but the sooner the pills were inside, the sooner they would work.

"Do _you_ remember what happened last night?" Hope asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Lightning looked away and gave him a shrug and Hope had to stop the grin from reaching his face. _Now I really wish I could remember what happened last night. If _Lightning_ of all people was drunk-_

"Wipe that look off your face," Lightning snapped, her cheeks turning red. "At least I'm not puking my guts out."

Hope rolled his eyes but nodded, letting Lightning lead him back into the living room. "Where's your shirt?" Lightning asked. Hope looked at his bare chest and shrugged.

"I have no idea. I just hope I didn't do anything stupid."

"With Snow, it's inevitable." Hope snorted but closed his eyes when he felt his brain rattle inside his head. _Please don't fall off the stem brain. I need you…_

Hope jumped when he walked into Lightning's back and he stepped away, holding his hands in the air and waiting for her to strike. When she didn't move he crept back to her and peered over her shoulder, narrowing his eyes when he saw Lebreau, Maqui, Serah, Gadot, and a now awake Snow huddled together on the floor. They were all huddled around Snow, leaning over something in his hands.

"What's going on?" Lightning asked. Her voice cracked through the room and Hope wanted to inch away from her. The others all jumped, wide eyes shooting to her, and Hope could see Snow quivering where he sat.

"N-nothing, sis. Just-just looking at some stuff." Lightning snorted and started toward them, Hope on her heels.

"If it's nothing, let us look." Lightning ignored Lebreau when the girl started to shake her head and shot Maqui a glare that almost cut his soul in two with the way her eyes flashed. Hope bit his lip and almost-_almost-_didn't look with Lightning.

Almost.

Instead he glanced down, swiping Snow's big thumb away from the small screen of a silver camera.

His heart stopped.

His life flashed before his eyes.

And he realized that his boxers were missing underneath his jeans.

_god, kill me now._

The picture revealed the inside of a bar and it was skewed, like the person who took the picture couldn't quite focus. But that wasn't what was going to cause Hope Estheim's untimely demise in the living room. Oh no. It was the fact that he was sitting in the middle of the picture, Lebreau hanging off his neck and planting kisses on his cheek, while Lightning draped her arms over him, her eyes closed.

A small button on the camera flashed and the next picture came-

And Hope realized he wasn't going to just die.

He was going to be _tortured._ Flayed. His head would be on a pike on the front yard where birds would peck out his eyes and nest in his skull. He'd be buried alive, kicking and screaming inside the coffin until he took his last gulp of air.

Something like that.

Because Hope Estheim had grabbed Lightning Farron and kissed her full on the lips, his side starting to tilt away from the chair. And when the next picture came, it was him and Lightning on the ground, still making out. _The one time-the one time, and I can't remember it! And now I'm going to die. I don't want to die. Oh god, what do I do-_

The next picture came and this time Lightning, with rosy cheeks and a dopey smile, was holding her arm in the air, and clenched in her hand was a pair of red boxers.

The same red boxers Hope could feel missing underneath his jeans.

_How does that even _work_?_

Silence followed when the camera was powered down, and all eyes turned to Hope and Lightning. Maqui and Gadot had their fists in their mouths to keep from giggling, and Serah's hands were cupped over her mouth, eyes wide as they darted between Hope and Lightning. Lebreau's eyes were wide and shaking, the redness from her cheeks quickly spreading all over her body, and Snow was torn between horror and laughter from the way his mouth was twitching.

Hope, however, was saying his last prayers.

"Give." Lightning held her hand out, her voice frighteningly calm, and Snow's hand dropped the camera in her waiting palm. Lightning stood up without a word, and for one fleeting moment, all was peaceful. Then she whipped around, grabbed Hope by the shoulder, her nails digging into the skin, and dragged him up with her. Hope started to twist in her grip, even though he knew the effort was futile, and his hands shot out to the others.

Snow shook his head though, and when Lightning was about to turn the corner with him, he thought he heard the man say, "It was nice knowing the kid."

_Bastard! You threw me under the bus! UGH! I'll get you! I'll haunt you until your dying day! You'll never have sex again-_

Hope's thoughts were cut short when his back hit the counter and he started to tremble before Lightning, watching the woman's gaze. Her eyes were unreadable but her body was tense and stiff. She stepped toward him and Hope wished, prayed, that he could disappear in a puff of smoke.

He waited. Closed his eyes and opened them again.

No such luck.

_Oh god, oh god, oh-_

"Hope…" Hope swallowed and nodded, straightening himself out. If he was going to die, he'd do it with some dignity. However much dignity a man missing a shirt and his boxers could possible possess.

_That would be none, Estheim. That would be none. _

Lightning raised her fist and Hope closed his eyes, muttering prayer. His head snapped to the side with a loud crack and his cheek blared and his jaw throbbed, but just as quickly he was being pulled forward. His eyes shot open but his cheek was already burning at the sudden and new contact, when something soft and warm pressed against the skin.

He held back the very gruff and manly 'eep', his eyes slowly drifting to Lightning's face when she pulled away from him. His hand pressed against his cheek and his face was starting to throb, but he couldn't tell if it was from the well-placed slap, or the grin that was cracking his face in two. Lightning refused to look at him, her cheeks burning bright red and her hands on her hips as she addressed the counter Hope was leaning against.

"We are never taking you out drinking again." She blinked and slowly the blush began to recede, the humor leaving her eyes, replaced with her usual, stoic self. Not that Hope minded too much.

The morning was wild enough as it was.

"I am now going to go kill Snow. It's his camera-he took the pictures. He's dead." Lightning turned around and Hope almost let her go, so lost in his stupor and his flaring, burning, _Holy crap she just kissed me_, cheeks. His eyes caught her turning back though, flickering with her movements, and shook his head, wincing when the room spun around and around.

"I-I don't think Serah will appreciate that too much," Hope mumbled, grabbing his head. He was still feeling so light headed and his stomach had started churning again-_and Lightning so just kissed me on the cheek! It counts, it counts. I don't care what anyone says, it totally counts!_

"And I don't like having my picture taken…ever. And this just makes it worse. I'll be smashing the camera of course. There will be no record or any chance of a repeat of what-Hope?" Hope closed his eyes and slid to the floor, shaking his head and waving her away.

"S'kay Light. Just-just need a sec-room…spinning a lot…that's normal though, right? It always spins in-in the morning. Silly kitchen-spinning all the time."

"Hope-"

"Oh god," Hope muttered before throwing a hand over his mouth and trying to twist his body toward the sink, reaching for it with flailing hands. He tried to pull himself up and reach the metallic bowl, but tripped over his leg and wound up crashing to the ground. His stomach tightened and clenched, his mouth watered before the burning bile gurgled up his throat, and he was retching all over the floor.

Hope's last thought for the morning?

_So…worth it…_

…_I think. _


End file.
